Hi all,

Another person looking for tutorials here! I'm applying to university to do a games programming degree and as an entry requirement must attempt to make a very simple game in C++ from scratch.

At first I worked in Unity (before I knew I must write my own 'engine') and managed to make a 3D copy of Breakout (largely from tutorials) and a simple 2D platformer (largely on my own).

I then read through Michael Dawson's Beginning C++ Through Games Programming and thoroughly covered all of the topics in that to make sure I had a good understanding of basic C++ (I had done Python and C# before).

After that I then followed this guy's tutorials for an introduction to OpenGL. I've finished this set of tutorials and he has a great set on game engines too... but it's in Java, not in C++.

I am completely and utterly stumped as to where to go to next. I'd like to make a very simple game in 3D (this for example) but I can't find any tutorials that take it this far, or they're in Java. Am I overshooting?

I am unemployed at the moment so can spend all of my time doing this and have until the beginning of April. Any help would be very much appreciated!

I can't find any tutorials that take it this far, or they're in Java. Am I overshooting?

While C++ and Java aren't exactly the same, they're both object-oriented languages, so the implementation of concepts, design-patterns, algorithms, etc. are going to be pretty similar. I actually think this is a good exercise for learning a new language, as it prohibits just copy-pasting code into your project.

After that I then followed this guy's tutorials for an introduction to OpenGL. I've finished this set of tutorials and he has a great set on game engines too... but it's in Java, not in C++.

I'm sure you can find an introduction to OpenGL for C++. I've seen people recommend this set of tutorials, but I've only used a few for reference, so I can't comment on how good they are as a whole. If you do use a Java tutorial for implementing OpenGL, you can pretty easily figure out what the analogous method-calls are for C++.

I can't find any tutorials that take it this far, or they're in Java. Am I overshooting?

While C++ and Java aren't exactly the same, they're both object-oriented languages, so the implementation of concepts, design-patterns, algorithms, etc. are going to be pretty similar. I actually think this is a good exercise for learning a new language, as it prohibits just copy-pasting code into your project.

After that I then followed this guy's tutorials for an introduction to OpenGL. I've finished this set of tutorials and he has a great set on game engines too... but it's in Java, not in C++.

I'm sure you can find an introduction to OpenGL for C++. I've seen people recommend this set of tutorials, but I've only used a few for reference, so I can't comment on how good they are as a whole. If you do use a Java tutorial for implementing OpenGL, you can pretty easily figure out what the analogous method-calls are for C++.

Thanks for the reply! I'll try and follow along his Java tutorials but as someone who is new to C++ and knows no Java, it's confusing when tutorials use library functions that aren't included in what I have.

As I said, I've done the intro to OpenGL stuff (his OpenGL intro is in C++) and can kind of wrap my head around that but I want to move on to actually getting a gameworld in now. Maybe I'm explaining wrong, I don't know, it's just all leaving me confused.

I suggest that you focus on your direct goal first, the entry requirement. Unless they asked for a 3D game you should not spend the extra time on it. Make a C++ and SDL breakout game in 2D. Then when you have completed it and sent it in you can start on the simple 3D game and if things progress along you might be able to send that in later as a entry requirement.

Make and deliver the minimal thing they demand first and then you can wander of in the big unknown with 3D and everything else .

Check out my notebook for some info and links on SDL: http://www.gamedevpensieve.com/graphics/graphic-api/sdl

Note: Check the entry requirements so you are allowed to use SDL for example.

I'm sure you can find an introduction to OpenGL for C++. I've seen people recommend this set of tutorials, but I've only used a few for reference, so I can't comment on how good they are as a whole.

The Nehe tutorials are pretty dated at this point - I think they are mostly on the order of 15 years old, and generally using OpenGL 1.X. That should pretty much all still work, but it's not really The Way Things Are Done™ any longer.

I haven't really found any great tutorials on the way to do proper modern OpenGL, or good books on the subject. There seems to be a lot richer information on the DirectX side, if that is an option. I really like Frank Luna's books - if you really want to get something going quickly, DirectX 9 might be easier, since there is a lot of useful stuff packed into the D3DX library for animation and math and whatnot that was deprecated in DX 11 that you have to roll your own or use third-party libraries for now.

The arcsynthesis tutorials are pretty good for opengl 3.3(modern) you can get them https://bitbucket.org/alfonse/gltut/downloads there

Thanks all very much for the input! I've taken Spinningcubes' advice and have gone back to 2D stuff. Found a great set of tutorials on YouTube by this guy who explains it all clearly and simply. I'll take a look at the links everyone has given for some extra learning!

Hey XenOne,

If you are still interested in 3D you could checkout http://learnopengl.com/. The site also covers model loading. If you already have some OpenGL experience, it should not be that hard to make something like in the video you've posted.

But when in doubt play easy as the other guys said

I post c++ Game Development Tutorials on my website every week. The first 200 Mb of downloads is free to anyone who signs up for a free membership.

I cover how to develop an OpenGL Game Engine from scratch. Each video shows and explains all the code that I write. There are actually a few engines that I developed that are covered in the tutorials plus a few games and a whole bunch of tips and resources to get you going with your own projects.

I also take suggestions for topics to cover, so if you get stuck creating your game, send me an email and I might make a video tutorial to address the issue.